Portable pipe rack

ABSTRACT

A portable smoking pipe rack of pocket size having two integrally connected legs in easel-like configuration. An enlarged aperture is located within the two legs for receiving the pipe. Positioned between the lower ends of the legs is a support member for supporting the pipe which rests in the aperture of the two legs and is received in a slot in one leg; notches on the support member locking with the ends of the slots. The support member is collapsible allowing the two legs to fold together. The portable pipe rack may be formed from a single thin sheet.

United States Patent [191 Reavis PORTABLE PIPE RACK [76] Inventor: Gary E. Reavis, 1978 Catalpa,

Anaheim, Calif. 92801 [22] Filed: Jan. 22, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 325,374

[52] US. Cl. 131/260, D85/8 C [51] Int. Cl. A24f 9/14 [58] Field of Search 131/260, 257; D85/8 A, D85/8 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,382,986 5/1968 Pfeiffer .1 131/260 UX 3,678,940 7/1972 Sobczak l3l/260 [in 3,815,613 June 11, 1974 Primary ExaminerJoseph S. Reich 5 7 ABSTRACT A portable smoking pipe rack of pocket size having two integrally connected legs in easel-like configuration. An enlarged aperture is located within the two legs for receiving the pipe. Positioned between the lower ends of the legs is a support member for supporting the pipe which rests in the aperture of the two legs and is received in a slot in one leg; notches on the support member locking with the ends of the slots. The support member is collapsible allowing the two legs to fold together. The portable pipe rack may be formed from a single thin sheet.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PORTABLE PIPE RACK BACKGROUND This invention relates to holders for smoking pipes. A significant problem for people who use smoking pipes is finding a place in which to rest their pipes when not being used for smoking. The general configuration of typical smoking pipes constitutes a rounded bowl for holding tobacco connected to a cylindrical stem which terminates in a mouth piece. Therefore, when resting a pipe on a flat surface, such as a table, the pipe will tend to roll to one side or the other causing tobacco which is either loose or burning to fall onto the table. Also, if the pipe has been used recently, it will be relatively hot, and, therefore, the user will not be able to place the pipe in his pocket. Consequently, it is necessary to find a place to rest the pipe when not in use. To avoid the problem pointed out above in regard to possible damage to a table, it is necessary to have a device to hold the pipe in an upright position in order to keep any loose tobacco or ashes from falling out of the bowl of the pipe. Many smokers using pipes when traveling, attending meetings or dining out, find it inconvenient not having some type of device to maintain the pipe in an upright position'while it is not in use.

The present invention contemplates a solution to this problem by offering a small pocket size device which provides a support to keep the pipe in an upright position while resting on a table. Such a device is easily carried by the pipe user in his pocket for ready use whenever the situation arises for the need torest the pipe on a table. Consequently, a pipe, which has been used and is relatively hot, can rest in the portable pipe rack and cool to a sufficient temperature to allow the user to again place the pipe in his pocket.

Prior art devices in this area utilize complex arrangements of thin sheets which are used in conjunction with legs to collapse and form a semi-flat portable pipe holder. Many prior art devices are not collapsible and portable for use as a pipe holder. Such devices are not designed to collapse, but rather retain a rigid configura: tion having an aperture or opening to receive various items. I

SUMMARY The advantage of the present invention is its simplified construction and ease of use. A device can be made from a single thin sheet of material. The apparatus is easily foldable for placement in a clothes pocket and is easily positioned for use as a pipe holder. Prior art devices usually require multiple steps in positioning the pipe holder for use. However, the present invention contemplates an easy one-step'operation for positioning the pipe holder for receipt of the pipe.

Being made from but a single piece of thin sheet material, the portable pipe rack presented herein can be easily manufactured and produced. Prior art devices utilize multi-step folding operation, require separate pieces for construction and in most instances require some type of adhesive or gluing process in order for the holder to maintain its proper configuration. In the case of the present invention, .the placement of the pipe within the holder will automatically retain the rack in the proper position for supporting the pipe.

These and other advantages will become more readily apparent in the drawings and description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the invention, showing a blanklike member from which the pipe rack is made by foldmg.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the portable pipe rack, showing the easel-like configuration with a pipe situated therein.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention with a pipe situated therein.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the invention, showing the back leg with the narrow end of the aperture therein and a pipe stem resting in the aperture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 2, the invention has a front leg or support 10 and a back leg or support 12. The two legs are integrally attached at their upper ends 14. Traversing the surfaces of both legs is an aperture 15. As shown in FIG. 1, the front leg 10 has therein one portion or enlarged end of aperture 15 forming a portion of an ellipse 16. Located at the lower end 18 of the front leg 10 is a rectangular slot 20. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the back leg 12 has therein one portion or end of aperture 15 which is a portion of a narrower ellipse 22. Referring again to FIG. 2, located between the 1 lower end 24 of the back leg 12 and the lower end 18 of the front leg 10 is a collapsible support member 26. The support member 26 has a front portion 28 and a back portion 30. The back portion 30 is integrally attached to the back leg 12. The front portion 28 of the support member 26 is designed to be received in the slot 20 located in the front leg 10. In the preferredembodiment, notches 27 and 29 are located on opposite sides of the front portion 28 of the support member 26. The width of the front portion 28 is greater than the width of the slot 20. When the front portion 28 of the support member 26 is placed within the slot 20 the notches 27 and 29 receive the respective ends 19 and 20 of the slot. As a result, the support member 26 is se- I prises a bowl 34 which contains the tobacco and a stem 36 which terminates in a mouth piece 38. The enlarged aperture 16 of part elliptical shape, located in the front leg 10 as shown in FIG. 1, is designed to receive and support the bowl section 34 of the pipe 32. The narrow or smaller elliptical shape aperture in the back leg 12 is designed to receive and support the stem end 36 of the smoking pipe 32. The support member 26 is designed to maintain the front leg 10 and back leg 12 in an easel-type configuration. The support member 26 is foldable and, when folded, will allow the front and back legs to fold together forming a single fiat device for easy placement in the users clothes pocket.

Also the support member 26 provides additional support for the smoking pipe 32 as shown in FIG. 3 when it is positioned within the apertures 16 and 22 of the respective front leg 10 and back leg 12. The weight of the smoking pipe 32 causes the support member 26 to maintain a relatively horizontal position which retains the front and back legs in an easel-like configuration with respect to each other.

The embodiment of the invention discussed herein is to be constructed preferably from a single thin sheet from which the central area is removed, leaving the aperture 15 of irregular shape and the support member 26. The slot 20 is also formed by the removal of a portion of the sheet material. The sheet is laterally folded at 14, forming the two legs and 12, and the support member 26 is folded at 40, making it collapsible. The thin sheet is preferably made of polypropylene plastic, although it could be of any other suitable material.

It is contemplated that the invention is not limited to the particularly configuration revealed in the drawings, for the apertures within the legs may be of various sizes and shapes to conform to differently configured pipes. The support member 26 may be of a different configuration, and be attached to the leg 10 by means other than a slot.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe having a bowl and stem, comprising:

a vertically arranged front leg having means providing a slot in its lower end;

a vertically arranged back leg integrally attached at its upper end with the upper end of said front leg; a support member connecting the lower ends of said legs, said support member having a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion being integrally attached to the lower end of said back leg and said front portion being received in said slot means of said front leg; and

means providing a single aperture of irregular shape within both of said legs.

2. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe having a bowl and stem as defined in claim 1, wherein the portion said aperture means in said front leg isdesigned to receive said bowl of said pipe and the portion of said aperture means in said back leg is designed to receive said stem of said pipe.

3. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said front portion of said support member contains locking means to secure said front portion to said front leg.

4. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe as defined in claim 3, wherein said front portion of said support member is wider than said slot means.

5. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe as defined in claim 4, wherein said locking means to secure said front portion to said front leg comprises means providing a notch on each side of said front portion of said support member, so that said notch means receive the ends of said slot means when said front portion is placed in said slot means.

6. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe having a bowl and a stem as defined in claim 1, wherein said single aperture means traverses both said front leg and said back leg, the portion of said aperture means in said front leg representing generally the shape of a portion of a relatively large ellipse and the portion of said aperture in said back leg representing generally the shape of a portion of a smaller ellipse. 

1. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe having a bowl and stem, comprising: a vertically arranged front leg having means providing a slot in its lower end; a vertically arranged back leg integrally attached at its upper end with the upper end of said front leg; a support member connecting the lower ends of said legs, said support member having a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion being integrally attached to the lower end of said back leg and said front portion being received in said slot means of said front leg; and means providing a single aperture of irregular shape within both of said legs.
 2. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe having a bowl and stem as defined in claim 1, wherein the portion said aperture means in said front leg is designed to receive said bowl of said pipe and the portion of said aperture means in said back leg is designed to receive said stem of said pipe.
 3. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said front portion of said support member contains locking means to secure said front portion to said front leg.
 4. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe as defined in claim 3, wherein said front portion of said support member is wider than said slot means.
 5. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe as defined in claim 4, wherein said locking means to secure said front portion to said front leg comprises means providing a notch on each side of said front portion of said support member, so that said notch means receive the ends of said slot means when said front portion is placed in said slot means.
 6. A foldable pocket sized rack for holding a smoking pipe having a bowl and a stem as defined in claim 1, wherein said single aperture means traverses both said front leg and said back leg, the portion of said aperture means in said front leg representing generally the shape of a portion of a relatively large ellipse and the portion of said aperture in said back leg representing generally the shape of a portion of a smaller ellipse. 